It was nice while it lasted, the hope.
Luke Shaw is back training at Manchester United's Carrington complex. The 20-year-old is continuing his recovery, and rehab, from a leg he double fractured in a Champions League tie with PSV Eindhoven.
Shaw set a personal target of a return to action before the season ended. He was delighted when the medics and his coaches agreed.
The closing stages of the Europa League were the cherries as his comeback date was pushed back a few weeks. United got knocked out of that competition on St Patrick's Day and that dream died.
Now, it seems, has Shaw's hopes of lining out for United before the end of the season. Louis van Gaal's press conference comments, this afternoon, appear to have nixed that and and ambitions to make England's Euro 2016 squad.
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Asked for an update on the former Southampton defender, van Gaal responded:
"Luke Shaw, next week shall start the first training sessions on the pitch.
"He has been in the pool, in the gym, on the treadmill. But now he can train with his body on the pitch but Luke knows it will be very difficult to play the final of the FA Cup.”
The only positives to glean from that are that Shaw is getting there and van Gaal is still plotting an FA Cup win. West Ham are next and it is away.
There was also an update on captain Wayne Rooney. "He's doing great," said van Gaal. "He trained today at a lower level with the ball and will probably play an Under-21s match before he comes back."
